To eat butter or not to eat butter, that is the question. This question became a real controversy in research circles in 2016.
Saturated fat: conflicting studies
In Tufts University study(USA), researchers declared in June that a tablespoon of butter a day could help reduce the risk of diabetes. The search was quickly followed by a Harvard University study (USA) which explained that saturated fat such as butter increased the risk of developing heart disease by 8%.
Then the author of the original report, Professor Dariush Mozaffarian, published another article in July that advised avoiding fat, if possible. Fast forward to November 2016: Saturated fat may be the key to boosting good cholesterol levels, according to a Norwegian study. In the randomized trial involving 38 men with abdominal obesity from the University of Bergen (Norway), only volunteers who followed a very high fat diet saw an increase in good cholesterol levels.
Fat does not increase the risk of heart disease
Participants were divided into groups following a diet high in carbohydrates or fat, about half of which was saturated. Fat mass in the abdominal region, liver and heart was measured while taking into account a number of key risk factors for cardiovascular illnesses.
“The very high consumption of total and saturated fat did not increase the risk of heart disease,” says professor and cardiologist Ottar Nygård who contributed to the study. Participants on the very high-fat diet even had significant improvements in several cardiometabolic factors, such as ectopic fat storage (which is where it’s not supposed to be), blood pressure, blood lipids ( triglycerides), insulin and blood sugar.
Both groups had similar intakes of energy, protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids, the types of food were the same and varied mainly in quantity, and the intake of added sugar was minimized. “Here we examined the effects of total and saturated fat in the context of a healthy diet rich in fresh, minimally processed, nutritious foods, including high amounts of vegetables and rice instead of flour products” , says PhD candidate Vivian Veum. Fats were also minimally processed, mainly butter, cream and cold-pressed oils.
A healthy diet must go through quality products
Total energy intake was within the normal range. Even participants who increased their energy intake during the study showed substantial reductions in fat and disease risk. “Our results indicate that the primary principle of a healthy diet is not the amount of fat or carbohydrates, but the quality of the food we eat,” said Johnny Laupsa-Borge, who is also preparing a doctorate.
Saturated fat has been thought to promote cardiovascular disease by raising bad LDL cholesterol in the blood. But even with higher fat intake in the study compared to most comparable studies, the authors found no significant increase in cholesterol LDL. On the contrary, good cholesterol increased with the very high fat diet. “These results indicate that most healthy people are likely to tolerate a high saturated fat consumption, as long as the fat quality is good and the total energy intake is not too high. It can even be healthy,” continues Ottar Nygård.
“The alleged health risks of eating good quality fats have been greatly exaggerated. It may be more important for public health to encourage the reduction of processed products made from flour, highly processed fats and foods added sugar,” concludes Assistant Professor Simon Nitter Dankel, who led the study with Professor Gunnar Mellgren, Director of Laboratory Clinics at Haukeland University Hospital in Norway.
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